INDIA'S PROGRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 123, 27 May 1930, Page 7

INDIA'S PROGRESS.

SPORADIC UNREST. Growth and Prosperity Under British Guidance. SECRETARY OF STATE'S REPORT (British Official Wireless.) (Received 1.30 p.m.) RUGBY, May 26. The situation in India was discussed in the House of Commons this evening during the debate on the India Office vote. Mr. Wedgwood Benn, Secretary, of State for India, said that despite newspaper headlines, the .vast majority of India people in the urban areas, and certainly in the ruj-al areas, pursued daily their avocations under the benevolence of settled and ordered Government. It was true that the Governmental machine was designed by English hands, but it was to-day mainly operated by Indian hands, not only in the positions of high control, but almost exclusively in "its subordinate branches.

Dealing statistically with some of the aspects of the national life, he said that there were few countries in the world that, in the matter of external trade, could give a better showing than India. Last year private trading merchandise showed an available balance of £58,000,000, and in the four preceding years the trade balance was equally good. As regards public expenditure, last year's Budget closed with a balance on the right side' and, although it was found that on the basis of existing taxation there would be a deficiency, the Government of India, with the support of the Legislative Council, presented a Budget which would at any rate balance and perhaps show a surplus. It would also maintain in the eyes of the world the solid financial position in which India had always stood. Last week the Government floated a loan of £7,000,000, which was oversubscribed. The prices of Indian securities on the London market were higher now than on January 1, despite all the events which had occurred in the meantime. Although there was a large public debt'in Lidia, 80 per cent was represented by productive assets. Remarkable progress had bten made with electrification of the railway and 28,000,000 acres, or nearly 13. per cent of the whole crop of India, had been brought under irrigation at a cost of When schemes now under construction were completed, the total area under irrigation would be nearly 40,000,000 acres. Regarding the trade and industrial position generally, during the last 20 years, India's overseas trade had nearly doubled. In agriculture the number of members of . co-operative credit societies had increased from 300,000 to 3,500,000. Those who rightly desired the uplift of the peasant or the industrial worker, should not overlook the magnificent work carried' on by Englishmen in cooperation with ■ Indians. Under the present constitution in India in the last ten years more progress has been made in, industrial legislation than in the preceding 50 years. , Relations With Britain. Dealing with; the development of relations between the Home Government and the Government of India, Mr. Wedgwood Benn pointed out that the growth of self-government in British been carried out in various forms. The Government of India was looking more and more for approval and support of its legislature and to Indian public opinion for the really effective and lasting growth of its measure of self-government.

Proceeding Mr. Benn alluded to recent disturbances which had been confined to urban districts and, generally speaking, Mohammedans had. held aloof. The disturbances might be described accurately as sporadic rather than general.

In some recent resolutions passed by the Congress Working Committee at Allahabad, the proposal was made that these disturbances should be extended. So far these resolutions had not been put into effective force, and it was not the intention of the Government that they should be permitted to be made effective. Referring to the position in the NorthWest Frontier Province and in the tribal areas, he said that since April Peshawar had been quiet, and normal life had been, or was being, resumed. Outside Peshawar, however, a centre of disturbance was caused by a leader called the Hadji of Turangzai and his son, who settled themselves in a hill north-east of Peshawar. Action was taken against them and was proving effective. On the whole the tribal situation had greatly improved. There had been no hostile movements of any tribe as a whole. Mr. Benn extended his symapthy to the district magistrates and officers of local governments and the Government of India in their difficulties and dangers, and said that in this matter, as in all others, there had never been between the Government and the Viceroy anything but relations of the warmest understanding and the strongest support. The Common Goal. Speaking of the statement of the Viceroy, Lord Irwin, some time ago, giving Dominion status for India as the ultimate objective of the Government's India policy, Mr. Benn said: "That policy stands. The goal is accepted by all parties, but there are difficulties on the way to that gaol. Those difficulties do not exist exclusively or mainly on this side. They are largely Indian difficulties and it is from Indian opinion that we must seek a solution. "I make bold to say that if, at this conference, substantial agreements are reached, no Government will lightly ignore its work." For many years the two countries had been linked together for the undoubted well-being of both. Was it too much to hope that bitterness might now be cast out so that the future might see the rebirth of mutual understanding and of the strength? There was a mild scene when Mr. Benn was speaking. Mr. A. Fenner Brockway (Lab., Leyton) asked: "What is the duty of the Labour Government?" Mr. Benn: "To carry on Government." Mr. W. Brown (Lab., Wolverhampton)-' "Is this Government to carry on .the dirty work of British Imperialism?" Disorder followed and there were cries of "shame. 5 ?